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I am going to drop a couple hop names your way for you to file away for later. Luminosa (a daughter of Sorachi Ace) and HBC 586 (which will probably get a fancy name later).
These are two to be on the lookout for in future IPA’s and pale ales. Will either be a breakout star like Citra or Strata?
As far as radical label re-designs go, Westvleteren has probably caused a stir by simply adding labels on all of their bottles.
Why? It is for the first time in 75 years. Personally, I think the round splash of color is distinctive and classy and different from bottles out there.
I wonder the reaction if the ever decide to can Westy 12.
Beer documentaries are always welcome to me which is why I hope the year in a Lambic life movie, Bottle Conditioned is on my list to find. Below is the blurb from the production…
“This film chronicles an entire year of lambic production, while getting to know the brewers and blenders in the Zenne River Valley of Belgium. Bound by a common passion for lambic beer, their approach and ideologies differ when it comes to upholding traditional methods of brewing and protecting this heritage. Moreover, with the recent rush in demand for this beer, new lambic brewers and blenders are emerging- something inconceiveable ten years ago- and they’re pushing the bounderies of tradition. This leaves the question: what does the future hold for this community, in a region defined by its traditions?”
NEWBrew from Singapore has a new blonde ale. How is that news, you say? It is brewed using recycled sewage. You read that correctly.
It is a joint effort between Brewerkz, a local craft brewery, and Singapore’s national water agency.
To keep the all caps NEW going, NEWBrew uses NEWater. According to an article at FoodBeast, “NEWater is made using ultraviolet light to disinfect sewage followed by passing the liquid through advanced membranes and removing contaminant particles. What remains after the process, the brand asserts, is simply clean water.”
Considering that many breweries alter water based on their supply or a particular beer style, if this NEWater is neutral and has proof of no other issues, it might be worth trying.
Firestone Walker has hit a major brewing milestone….
But don’t go running to their store in Venice just yet, this special batch will be Double DBA and will arrive in 2023. You can read more about this, right HERE.
Even though Milwaukee is spelled a little oddly to this writer’s eyes since I am from Milwaukie, the cause espoused is in need of attention so I band together for this new collaborative charity beer.
“This October, Third Space Brewing will release an IPA called One In Four to raise funds and awareness for domestic violence prevention.
One in four women and one in nine men have experienced some form of domestic violence, according to the CDC. “We chose this staggering statistic for the name of the beer to help start conversations within local communities about the prevalence of domestic violence” said Matt Cisz, Lead Brewer at Third Space Brewing and creator of One In Four. “When you lose a family member to domestic violence, all you want to do is find a way to prevent it from happening to anyone else,” shared Cisz.
Third Space Brewing is encouraging breweries across the country to join the effort by brewing the One In Four collaboration beer to be released in October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Breweries wishing to join the project may sign up HERE. Third Space Brewing will share the recipe and label artwork with participating breweries. Industry partners Malteurop Malting Company, Yakima Chief Hops and Blue Label Packaging will also join the effort by offering discounts on materials for brewing and packaging One In Four.
Participating breweries are encouraged to donate proceeds to the National CoalitionAgainst Domestic Violence (NCADV) or a local organization of their choosing that supports those who have been affected by domestic violence or intimate partner
violence. Third Space Brewing will donate all profits from the sale of its One In Four beer to Sojourner Family Peace Center, the largest nonprofit provider of domestic violence prevention and intervention services in Wisconsin.”
And don’t claim burnout from charity beers, you have the easy job of buying and drinking.
Last month, big beer news hit Los Angeles with Figueroa Mountain moving into manage four locations around the city previously held by Tony Yanow’s Artisanal Brewers Collective
I emailed brewer Brian Waters some questions about himself, hops and FMB in L.A.
1. What is your brewing background and history?
Before I was brewing I was working as a video editor for an online publication/events company. The company unfortunately went out of business. I freelanced for a while, but found that video editing was no longer terribly satisfying. In the meantime, my cousin received a home brew kit as a wedding gift, so he and I and his wife made a one-gallon batch of a West Coast IPA. It actually turned out pretty nice. I continued to make beer on my own until one day I saw a job posting for an assistant general manager position at a brewpub that was opening up in Hancock Park. I sent them a resume and cover letter telling them that I wasn’t interested in the AGM position but if they needed an assistant brewer I’d love the opportunity. Two weeks later the head brewer hit me up and the rest is history. I started as a draft tech and worked my way up.
2. Which brewer or brewery is your brewing role model?
That’s a question that has too many answers! We are spoiled for choice just here in LA alone. For now I’ll go with a few SoCal locals: Green Cheek, Highland Park, Enegren, Societe, and Burgeon make outstanding stuff. But there are so, so many others home and abroad that I love and whose beers I look to for inspiration.
3. Will the Los Angeles breweries have a different guiding principle than the main brewery in Buellton? Will it be clear that beer is an L.A. brewed one vs a Buellton one?
The goal for the beer brewed in LA is the same — to brew outstanding, high-quality beer. Each of the spots will have its own flair, and will focus on producing consistent, exceptional brews. All of our bartenders will know which beers are brewed on site and which are brewed at the mothership in Buellton.
4. How much freedom will you have to pursue seldom done styles at the Broxton R&D brewing system?
We are lucky to have the freedom to pursue whichever styles we like. However, it will always be a balance of brewing fun, experimental beer, but also brews that people are interested in drinking. We probably won’t make any grodziskie or chicha. But who knows, we may get a little out there and do something like a Kentucky Common.
5. Is there a new hop varietal or new malt has you excited to try?
There are a few hops that I’ve had my eye on. They aren’t necessarily new, but I’ve yet to try them. HBC 586, Vista, Eclipse, and a couple of French varietals. Can’t wait to get my hands on them!
6. Is there a beer style that to you is quintessentially L.A.?
If I had to choose only one I think I’d go with a hoppy lager. I think some of the best producers of the style are right here in town, and it’s exciting to see more and more breweries put their best versions forward.
7. Will there be experimentation with new old world lager trends like side pours, slow pours and milky pours? And what is your take on these trends?
We are definitely going to have a couple of side pour handles at the Lagerhaus! We are super excited to take a deep dive into a style that we love. Each of those trends has their own value, and while I consider myself more of a Hladinka kind of guy, I do also really love a slow pour.
Last Friday, what was unofficial became official when Roe V Wade was overturned despite most of the country not wanting to change.
Beer is For Everyone has jumped into action with a beer to work around this very bad, no good decision. You can read all of the details HERE.
Everyone who thinks that women should, oh I don’t know, have the right to choose will need to band together to create a giant work around to render this anti-justice moot.
How’s this for beer business water cooler talk…
“Sapporo U.S.A., maker of the number one selling Asian beer brand in the United States, and Stone Brewing, one of America’s largest and most innovative craft beer brands, have reached an agreement for Sapporo U.S.A. to acquire Stone Brewing. Supporting both business’ long-term growth strategies in the U.S. market, the transaction is expected to close in August 2022. “
Could this work? Sapporo already controls Anchor and aside from can label designs that are a little plain, seem to be in the same craft brewing pecking order as they were before. But though Stone has slipped into seltzers and brand extending Buenaveza lagers, it is still primarily a hop house something Sapporo is decidedly not.
Sapporo does seem to have a California heritage brewery soft spot. Stone is a world brand despite the pullback from Berlin and having both a West Coast and East Coast brewing operation has benefits. Though if I signed on to brew at Stone and I was suddenly making Sapporo for a living, it might be stunting creatively.
For some, the past bold statements from Greg Koch and initiatives to keep craft independent will be “flip flop” fodder for semi-humorous tweets but to me…
The big question that I fall back to is that despite the relative security of a stable parent company, what happens if Stone doesn’t generate money at the clip required. What happens then? Or what if Sapporo decides five years down the road that they want out of a hyper competitive California and U.S. beer market?
As with Anchor Brewing, only time will tell if the two can work together. Maybe Sapporo, Stone and Anchor can do a Hoppy Holiday lager for Christmas.
Some may consider having a building at a prestigious university named after them proof of a life well led. But I would argue that having brewing equipment named after you is even better.
Which leads to a fundraising campaign as brewing legend Charlie Papazian explains, “Metropolitan State University of Denver plans to name their 3 ½ barrel brewing laboratory after me. The Charlie Papazian Brewing Education Lab.
In effect they are commemorating the role that homebrewers and beer enthusiasts like you and I have played in making the world a better place for the enjoyment of beer. Who would have thought that! I enjoy being involved with initiatives that help assure great beer for the future.”